Puerto Rican Millennials, the Internet, Social Media, Online Shopping, TV, and the Screens Where They All Fit In

This is the 8th post in the Millennials, a Generation of Togetherness, but Full of Contradictions series. Each post will highlight a specific aspect of the millennial’s life.

Millennials are avid Internet users and are almost always online through some device.

Groundbreaking! (Please, tell us you get sarcasm…)

Yes, millennials are usually found browsing through social media, consuming all sorts of content, shopping, and communicating. They use various screens and devices, as well as apps and streaming services. For 46% of them, their whole lives revolve around technology. Millennials grew up using laptops and were there for the birth of smartphones. They’ve seamlessly adapted to new technologies, software, and devices. So let’s take a closer look at what they’re actually doing within those screens.

Overall Internet Usage

68% of millennials are connected to the Internet for 6 hours or more and 91% use the Internet to communicate with friends through social media. Is the content you publish entertaining? It better be, that’s what 59% use the Internet for. Other top Internet activities include sending emails (55% – no, email is not dead), listening to music through services like Pandora or Spotify (54%), watching movies, sports or TV programs (35%), online shopping (25%), and reading the news (16%).

70% of Millennials Say They Use Social Media for Everything

That’s a lot of people…and we’re still not surprised. Social media has become the gateway to the Internet for this generation. Unless they’re specifically searching for something, they’ll go directly to their favorite social network and continue exploring from there. Speaking of which, the most used social networks and apps by Puerto Rican millennials are: Facebook (92%), WhatsApp (81%), and Twitter (66%). We were actually surprised that Instagram reported being used by 30% of millennials and YouTube, by 16%.

So what are millennials really using social media for?

73% – Communicate with friends and acquaintances

58% – View pictures, profiles, and comments

49% – Meet new friends

34% – See upcoming events, parties, and concerts

29% – Do school or work related activities

17% – Research brands

16% – Look for discounts

With so much information being shared, are they worried about privacy? Yes. Millennials may be connected practically all the time, but they value their privacy. 48% of them don’t like to share their personal lives with too many people. Friends and family are enough. Millennials also like their privacy, 37% agreed they don’t like being told what to do. If people don’t know what you’re up to, they can’t give unwanted opinions.

Millennials are Multiscreen

At first, we were all focused on one screen: the TV. Then came computers and laptops. Now we’ve got smartphones, tablets, smart TV’s, smart watches, and a numerous amount of connected devices and screens that we could be interacting with at any given moment. However, the preferred devices of millennials are smartphones, tablets, and laptops – used by 95%, 79%, and 16% respectively. Millennials go from screen to screen depending on their needs, which is why it’s so important to provide a seamless experience no matter where they’re viewing your content.

Electronics, Apparel, and Travel are the Most Shopped For

63% of millennials shop for their gadgets online. The rise of product comparison tools, guides, consumer reports, reviews, and quick checkout options have eased the purchasing process. 62% of millennials said they shop for clothes online and 60% make travel arrangements online, such as reservations, purchasing plane tickets or vacation packages.

Other top categories of online purchases include jewelry and accessories (53%), books (40%), event and movie tickets (38%), music (33%), and DVD’s/Videos (30%). With millennials opting more and more for online purchasing, businesses have to adapt to be able to fulfill their needs both in-store and 24 hours a day online.

Think millennials don’t watch TV? Think again.

We already said 35% of millennials watch movies, sports or TV programs and 47% are joining services like Netflix or Hulu (specially to save money). Where does that leave TV? Well, 85% of millennials said that TV is indispensable in their home – and we know that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re watching cable or local programming. BUT… 80% stated they watched cable (more than local TV) and only 2% of millennials are considering dropping their cable subscription. TV programming is still relevant for millennials in Puerto Rico. And why wouldn’t it be? The TV is just another screen where the can consume relevant and quality content.

Conclusion

Millennials are a heavily connected generation. They count on the Internet for everything from communication to catching up with the news, from shopping to entertainment. Social media and messaging apps have taken this generation by storm and they won’t let go. This being their #1 channel for communication and meeting new people. Millennials can also move seamlessly from screen to screen, especially from smartphones to laptops to fulfill their needs. Gadgets, clothes, and travel arrangements are the most shopped for items online and the rise of information has definitely aided this. Finally, TV programming is still relevant for millennials in PR. Services like Netflix and Hulu are not substituting cable; they’re complementing the visual entertainment experience.

Let’s explore how millennials impact your business and how we can help you engage with them. Contact us at DLCinsights@delacruz.com. Stay tuned to our blog for more and be sure to follow us on Facebook,Twitter, and LinkedIn.